2019 Mount Pleasant Cellar Aged Elizabeth Semillon, Hunter Valley

Mount Pleasant Cellar Aged Elizabeth Semillon from the Hunter Valley is one of Australia’s most iconic white wines, a benchmark example of how beautifully Semillon can evolve when crafted with precision and allowed to rest patiently in bottle. The Elizabeth label has a long and storied history at Mount Pleasant, originally created by the legendary Maurice O’Shea, whose early work laid the foundations for Hunter Valley winemaking. The fruit comes from mature Semillon vines planted on sandy loam and volcanic soils around Pokolbin, where warm days, cool nights and the region’s distinctive humidity produce grapes with piercing acidity and remarkable longevity. Mount Pleasant has always championed a lean, pure expression of Semillon, and the cellar aged release lets the wine reveal its full potential.

Winemaking focuses entirely on preserving delicacy. The grapes are harvested early for naturally high acidity, then gently pressed and fermented in stainless steel with no oak influence. This minimal intervention approach ensures the wine begins life as a bright, citrus driven style with a fine, steely frame. Over years in the cellar the wine transforms, developing honeyed richness, toasty complexity and the trademark beeswax texture that defines great aged Hunter Semillon. Mount Pleasant holds back a portion of each vintage to release only once the wine has entered this magical second stage of life.

In the glass the wine sits as a pale gold with green flashes. The nose is wonderfully evolved with notes of lemon curd, lime zest, white florals and subtle lanolin merging with hints of honeycomb, toast, lemongrass and chamomile. Beneath the aromatic lift lies a gentle minerality that reflects its sandy soils. As it opens, the bouquet deepens into warm citrus, crushed herbs and the unmistakable waxy note that comes from extended bottle age.

The palate is tight, pure and beautifully textured. Fresh lime and lemon mingle with honey, toast, beeswax, wet stone and delicate herb notes. The acidity remains vibrant even after many years, giving the wine energy and precision while the ageing brings roundness and depth. The finish is long, clean and quietly powerful with lingering citrus, honeyed warmth and fine mineral detail. This is a classic cellar aged Hunter Semillon, a style that continues to impress both collectors and critics for its longevity and complexity.

Food pairings include fresh oysters, prawns with lemon and garlic, grilled fish, Thai dishes with lemongrass and ginger, roast chicken with herbs, goat cheese, lightly spiced vegetable dishes and delicate seafood pastas. Its acidity and texture make it incredibly versatile. It can age further for many more years with top bottles comfortably reaching two decades of graceful evolution.